All 20 examples of the A1 e-tron will be operational by mid-2011 when the project, which forms part of the 'Model Region Electromobility Munich' initiative, will begin.

Peter Ramsauer, the German federal transport minister, said there was interest in how the transportation systems of the future will look and the project is a large field test to place 'electromobility' in real-world conditions.

He added: “Our goal is clear: we want to make Germany the lead market for electromobility and put at least one million electric vehicles on German roads by 2020.”

It has a peak power output of 101bhp, and when the battery runs flat it is charged by a compact 'range extender' consisting of a single-rotor Wankel engine and an electrical generator with a charge rating of up to 15kW.

Top speed is 81mph, with CO2 emissions of 45g/km and average economy of 149mpg.

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Time to move on from archaic piston power plants. Electric hybrid with wankel or small gas turbine running at constant and most optimum rpm is what I'd call a breakthrough. Variable timing, stratified injection, titanium valves etc.. attached to piston engines are called tinkering, not a breakthrough.